Maybe
by TheBoglies
Summary: Kate's Story of Glenbogle
1. Parts 1 and 2

**Maybe….**

**By: Kate**

**Part 1**

Lexie knew that her decision was right. To marry the laird was wrong, and as much as she wanted it to she knew it would never work. Pondering her dilemma, Lexie quickly worked her way through the rest of the washing up before retreating to her bedroom. She was soon asleep. Her slumber was restless and interrupted by dreams of what might have been and visions of Archie.

Lexie woke up the next morning with a feeling of dread in her stomach. How will she ever be able to face Archie again? She slowly dressed thinking over how the situation could get any easier (or even worse!). By the time she arrived in the kitchen Lexie had come to the conclusion was to leave Glenbogle. But could she? This was her home, her life and was inhabited by her (as good as) family . But then again she had fleed one family, why not another?

As she served breakfast Lexie avoided Archie's gaze. She realised that it would be impossible to live with someone who could have been her fiancé. She would have to leave. She risked a glance at Archie while serving Molly's meal and noticed that he was reading a letter. He had no expression in his face, and so it's content puzzled Lexie.

As she walked past Archie to leave the door he reached out and grabbed her arm. "Just a minute Lex" he whispered.

Lexie panicked. She didn't want anyone else to know about the previous night's happenings. "Arch," she protested, "don't tell them about…"

"I won't. That's between you and me. It's about something else." He reassured her. At that moment Hector looked up from his breakfast.

"Is something bothering you, or can a man eat in peace?" He snapped at Lexie and Archie.

"Hector, please," Molly scolded.

"Actually there is something the matter," Archie announced. "I will be leaving Glenbogle for a while. Before you say anything," Archie quickly went on, noticing his father's mouth open in protest, "I am leaving to help Lizze. She has sent me a letter telling of how she has managed to get a new job, quite high up in a restaurant chain, and needs someone to look after Martha. Seeing as I have quite some expertise in the catering field she thought that I was the one to ask. Last night I called her to agree." Lexie's heart sank. She had been beaten to it. Archie was leaving instead, and she had driven him to it.

**Part 2**

Lexie calmly walked out of the room, using Hector's outburst as a distraction. She slowly made her way to her bedroom and sat down on her bed. She didn't cry, although she thought she would. She just sat in a daze. It was only a knock on the door that brought her back to earth. "Lexie?" someone whispered.

Lexie looked up and opened the door to find Archie standing at the other side. She breathed out heavily and sat back down on the bed. Archie closed the door at sat next to her. There was an awkward silence. "What did you want?"

"When?" Archie didn't understand.

"Just now, why have you come?" She looked into his eyes for the first time since the proposal. Her stomach leapt. She still loved him, and for a moment Lexie wondered why she had said "no."

"I…."Archie paused. What was it he had wanted to say? He had come only to see her, not to talk. "I wanted to tell you my plans for Glenbogle," he gushed. Lexie looked at him for a moment. She doubted that this was his real reason for visiting her.

"Go on," she urged after a moment's hesitation.

"Well, seeing as I'll be leaving for a while I thought it would be best for someone else to be in charge. I thought maybe you, seeing as you run the place anyway," he smiled, "you would only have to sort out the everyday stuff, not anything big. You can give me a call if you need any help." Lexie searched his eyes for a moment. She could still hear him propose to her the night before. Why? Why had she declined?

"Of course," she said with a nervous smile.

"Thank you," Archie stood up to leave.

"Arch," Lexie blurted out before she could stop herself.

"Yes?" Archie turned to look at her.

"Would you have left if I had accepted?" Lexie watched nervously as Archie considered her question.

"No," Archie finally replied, "but don't assume you drove me out. You were my reason to stay. A little holiday should help clear my mind up about the estate… and about us."

"Arch, you fought so hard to keep the estate and the day after you get it back you leave. That sounds like something else is pushing you out to me." Lexie stared at him, her eyes glistening form the tears filling her eyes.

"Lexie don't cry. You were what would keep me, not what would make me leave. All this with the estate and us, well, it's made me think. I want my sister to enjoy her life too. Her new job to her is like the estate to me. I want to help her keep her estate." Lexie smiled. She knew he was right. "Now don't fret. If you are worried I'll always be a phone call away." He kissed her forehead before heading to leave. "No hard feelings," he grinned from the doorway, and left.


	2. Parts 3 and 4

**MAYBE - Part 3**

Lexie rose early one morning a couple of weeks later to prepare a special breakfast. As she prepared the bacon she thought about how strange things will be without Archie. The thought didn't scare her anymore, even though she would be running Glenbogle for the next six months, with Hector guiding her along the way. Hector had fought greatly against having a servant running his precious estate. After hours of arguing Archie had finally stuck a compromise, with Lexie still being in charge, but with Hector being able to stop her from making a final decision on something he disagreed with. If this were to happen, Archie would make the final decision over the phone from London.

Lexie had soon slipped into a daydream wondering what life would be like without Archie and how she could possibly cope. Her mind was slowly drifting into the dangerous thoughts of "what if I'd said yes?" (an area she was now too afraid to travel into) when a distant voice echoed down the corridor. "Lex? Lex where are you?"

The door to the kitchen burst open and Lexie jumped with a start. She spun round to see Duncan standing at the door." Dunc, you frightened the life out of me then!" Lexie laughed.

"Sorry Lex," Duncan's boyish face fell, "I only wanted to see if I could help you get things ready for Archie's final meal here."

"Aw, sure you can help," Lexie smiled, "can you make the porridge for me?" She reached up to the old wooden shelf above them and removed a large bag of oats, and together Duncan and Lexie got on preparing the meal in silence.

"Lex?" Duncan asked a few minutes later.

"What is it Dunc?" Lexie replied cautiously. She had noticed that Duncan was nervously fiddling with the hem of his kilt, a sure sign that he was unsure about how to phrase his question without offending someone.

"You're going to miss Archie, aren't you?" Duncan wouldn't look at her, and instead became very interested in the state of his muddy shoes. Lexie immediately realised that he must know about what had happened after the Midsummer Ball. But how? Lexie decided to remain cautious and not reveal anything just yet, after all, maybe her suspicions were incorrect.

"Yes Dunc, we all will, unless you won't," she added as and after thought. Maybe that was why Duncan was so nervous. But then, Lexie reasoned, Duncan would definitely miss Archie. They had been like brothers ever since Archie had returned to Glenbogle nearly four years ago.

"Aye, I know that, and of course I'll miss him, but you'll miss him more than the rest of us. I mean, I know about you two," at this Lexie's heart leapt.

"What…what do you know Dunc?" Lexie froze. Her knife was poised in mid-air above the tomato she was holding, and her eyes suspiciously glanced over Duncan's expression. Images of the whole of Glenbogle gossiping about how the poor little serf up at "The Big House" had been offered the heart of the gorgeous laird and had turned it down. She could see Hector cursing his son for proposing to a maid and blatantly refusing to work with her in the running of Glenbogle. Molly's face flashed before her, and she could hear her wondering why was it Lexie had turned down her own son. Lexie knew that the family would never be able to take the news, and Lexie would never be able to live with them afterwards.

"Duncan?" she asked, more aggressively this time. Duncan didn't reply, he just starred at her. Lexie suddenly realised that she had stopped what she was doing and began chopping the tomato once more. After a moment Duncan spoke again.

"So it's true? I mean Stella told me before she left, but I never thought she was speaking the truth," Duncan's blue eyes were open wide.

Lexie gave a large sigh, it couldn't last forever, she knew that, but why not at least until things had changed and it was not fresh in the memories of those involved? "Yes, yes, it's all true. Archie proposed to me on the evening of the Midsummer ball," Lexie smiled. How romantic it would have been to get engaged on the night of Midsummer's Day. She could have had the opportunity to wear the beautiful gown Duncan had so kindly paid for and they could have danced the night away.

"But you don't wear a ring, and you haven't told anyone….and Archie's leaving. I don't understand, if you're engaged why all this?"

"Who said I accepted?" Lexie smiled, "now, take the porridge through will you please?" With that Duncan picked up the large pan and carefully walked out of the room. Lexie smiled to herself. Thing wouldn't be too bad, and at least she had a friend to share her secret with.

Suddenly her smile fell. Lexie hadn't warned Duncan to keep it a secret.

"Oh my God, Dunc!" She yelled, running across the room. The door to the kitchen flung open for a second time, but it was someone else who had slammed it this time. Lexie came to a halt just in front of a rather angry looking Archie.

Part 4

Lexie stood still. She knew that Archie wanted their secret to remain just that, and that his temper easily hit boiling point at the slightest thing. She glanced around to find something to use as a distraction and suddenly had an idea. "What do you want Arch?" she asked innocently. Archie's expression suddenly changed. He hadn't expected her to be oblivious to what had just happened.

"What did you want Duncan for?" He asked suspiciously.

"I…er…needed to stop him," Lexie replied pathetically.

"Why?"

"Erm…because…Hector likes to have a pinch of salt in his porridge and I sent it through without the salt." Lexie tried. It seemed to work. Archie smiled and stood aside from the door to let her through.

"I'll come with you."

"Aye," Lexie smiled, "you'll be expected at your farewell breakfast." She picked up the saltcellar off the table and followed Archie out of the room. She glanced up at him and smiled. Either he had forgotten what he was going to say, or had decided not to say it.

It turned out to be neither. "I was wondering how you're going to cope, with Father running the estate with you," Archie revealed as they walked towards the dining room.

"Well, it was your decision, and I trust your choices," Lexie didn't want to make Archie feel worse by voicing her true opinion, "Why?"

"He's just so annoying. I can't believe I left you with him," Archie moaned.

"What has he done now?"

"How do you know he's done something?"

"Look, Arch, you're my best mate. When you're as close as us it's easy to tell what's up…and also the look on your face when you first entered the kitchen this morning kinda gave it away," she smiled.

Archie sighed. "Why can't he just admit that I'm leaving? He's had weeks to get used to it, and it's not like I'm leaving forever. This morning I found my suitcases were missing. They turned out to be back in the attic, and my clothes were neatly folded in their draws. I don't understand what he's going to gain from doing this; I'll leave whatever happens. All he's doing is encouraging me to stay away longer. Why-"

Archie was suddenly cut off by a yell from the dining room. "Why can't that blasted woman put salt in my porridge?" Hector bellowed.

Together Archie and Lexie ran into the dining room. "Sorry Hector, coming now," Lexie smiled bitterly as Archie took his seat at the table.

"See what ruin this house will fall to if you leave Archibald? The woman can't even serve porridge correctly, never mind run an estate."

Lexie suddenly noticed that Duncan was still standing in the room, and so tried to catch his eye, but had no luck.

"Father, my decision is final. I am going to help your _only_ daughter and _only_ grandchild. Surely they mean more to you than this estate."

"Humph…" Hector growled.

Lexie began to get frustrated. She needed to prevent Duncan from telling anyone her secret, before it was too late. She slowly walked over towards Duncan, who was standing behind Molly.

"Dunc, come outside a mo," she whispered.

Together they walked out on the pretence of removing the large bowl that held the porridge. Once Lexie had checked that the coast was clear she turned to Duncan.

"Dunc," she began but got no further.

"Duncan!" Golly's voice drifted towards them.

"Sorry Lex, I'd better go," Duncan began to run towards the shout.

Lexie sighed; she could tell keeping this a secret wouldn't be easy.


End file.
